Flat Spectral Response Digital Micromirror Device-Based Variable Fiber Optic Attenuator

Author

Sheikh, Mumtaz ; Amin, Muhammad Junaid

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys., Lahore Univ. of Manage. Sci., Lahore, Pakistan

Volume

24

Issue

23

fYear

2012

Firstpage

2175

Lastpage

2178

Abstract

To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, an all-digital broadband variable fiber optic attenuator (VFOA) is demonstrated using the Texas Instruments´ digital micromirror device (DMD) that does not use any narrowband or polarization-sensitive components. Simulations show that the proposed VFOA has a truly flat spectral response with a wavelength-dependent loss (WDL) of <;0.01 dB over the C-band 1530-1560 nm with a DMD designed to operate in the infrared. Experimental results show a WDL of ± 0.13 dB and a dynamic range of 38.6 dB with a visible DMD.

Keywords

micro-optomechanical devices; micromirrors; optical attenuators; optical fibres; DMD; VFOA; WDL; digital micromirror device; flat spectral response; variable fiber optic attenuator; wavelength 1530 nm to 1560 nm; wavelength-dependent loss; Attenuation; Broadband communication; Diffraction; Micromirrors; Optical attenuators; Optical fibers; Broadband communication; digital micromirror device (DMD); microelectromechanical devices; optical fiber devices; variable optical attenuator;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2012.2224860

Filename

6330987